World Cup Wanderers: South Africa 2010

Ahead of this summer's competition in Russia, bwfc.co.uk gets in the mood by reviewing all former editions of the biggest tournament in football and the World Cup Wanderers who were in action!

Ahead of the opening game of the 2018 World Cup, South Africa 2010 is the penultimate edition of the tournament to get the World Cup Wanderers treatment with the likes of Emile Heskey, Stuart Holden and Lee Chung-Yong all featuring.

GARY CAHILL

EMILE HESKEYEnglandAppearances:4Goals:0Stage reached:Round-of-16

STEPHEN WARNOCKEnglandAppearances:0Goals:0Stage reached:Round-of-16

Having dropped out of favour at international level after Euro 2004, Emile Heskey had re-established himself as England's first-choice striker along with Wayne Rooney leading into the 2010 World Cup.

The striker featured in all four of England's games in South Africa, while Stephen Warnock was an unused squad member having only played six minutes of international football prior to the tournament.

Opening against USA, Heskey helped give Fabio Capello's side the perfect start as he set up captain Steven Gerrard's early opener. However, a Rob Green error shortly before the break allowed Clint Dempsey to equalise as the Three Lions were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

With England drawing their second game 0-0 with Algeria, Heskey was benched for their final group game as his replacement Jermain Defoe scored the only goal to seal their place in the knock-out stages.

A quick-fire Thomas Muller brace midway through the second half saw Germany take control of the game, with Heskey again utilised as a substitute as England looked to respond.

However, with the damage already done, the 4-1 defeat saw the Three Lions exit the competition with Heskey announcing his international retirement shortly afterwards.

NICOLAS ANELKAFranceAppearances:2Goals:0Stage reached:Group-stages

Nicolas Anelka's tournament was memorable for all the wrong reasons as he was famously sent home early after clashing with head coach Raymond Domenech, with his team-mates later boycotting training in protest as France suffered an embarrassing group-stage exit.

First choice heading into the tournament, the striker start the French's opening game as they drew 0-0 with Uruguay as well as their second game against Mexico.

However, Anelka was hauled off at half-time following his disagreement with Domenech as France went on to lose 2-0 to goals from substitutes Javier Hernandez and Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

With the striker sent home prior to France's final group game against hosts South Africa, he could only watch on as Les Bleus' tournament ended in further embarrassment after they fell to a 2-1 defeat.

DANNY SHITTUNigeriaAppearances:3Goals:0Stage reached:Group-stages

CHINEDU OBASINigeriaAppearances: 3Goals:0Stage reached:Group-stages

Wanderers defender Danny Shittu was an ever-present for Nigeria in South Africa while future Whites striker Chinedu Obasi also featured in all three of their games as they were knocked out in the group-stages.

Both players started their opening game as they lost 1-0 to Argentina, Gabriel Heinze grabbing the only goal early on.

Facing off against Greece in their second game, Shittu started while Obasi was brought on as a half-time substitute as Nigeria took an early lead through Kala Uche.

However, Sani Kaita's red card on the half-hour mark turned the tide of the game as Greece fought back to win 2-1 to confirm Nigeria's early exit with a match left to play.

Concluding the tournament against South Korea, Obasi was restored to the starting XI as Nigeria threw away an early lead before Yakubu equalised from the penalty spot to earn a 2-2 draw.

An ever-present for South Korea in South Africa, Lee Chung-Yong was one of his nations' star players at the 2010 World Cup.

Beating Greece 2-0 in their opening game thanks to goals from Lee Jung-Soo and Park Ji-Sung, the midfielder was on the scoresheet himself in their second outing against Argentina as a Gonzalo Higuain hat-trick and Park Chu-Young own goal condemned South Korea to a 4-1 defeat.

Needing to better Greece's result to reach the knock-out stages, goals from Lee Jung-Soo and Park Chu-Young helped South Korea draw 2-2 to set up a second round clash with Uruguay.

Lee was on the scoresheet again as he cancelled out Luis Suarez's early opener, only for the controversial strike to net his second of the game late on to seal South Korea's fate.

STUART HOLDENEnglandAppearances: 1Goals: 0Stage reached: Round-of-16

Stuart Holden was limited to just four minutes of action as a late substitute in USA's opening game with England as they reached the second round of the tournament.

Helping see out a 1-1 draw, the midfielder watched on as goals from Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley saw USA recover from 2-0 down to draw with Slovenia.

Donovan was on the scoresheet again in USA's next outing, scoring a last-minute winner against Algeria as the 1-0 win saw them snatch top-spot away from England.

Meeting Ghana in the second round, Donovan netted his third of the tournament from the penalty spot to cancel out Kevin-Prince Boateng's early opener, only for Asamoah Gyan to net an extra-time winner as USA lost 2-1 to exit the competition.

Vladimir Weiss helped Slovakia reach the knock-out stages as they made their only World Cup finals appearance to date in 2010.

Starting three of his nation's four games, the winger helped Slovakia open with a 1-1 draw against New Zealand as Robert Vittek's opener was cancelled out by Winston Reid in stoppage-time.

Losing 2-0 to Paraguay in their second game, progress in the competition was unlucky heading into their final group game against Italy.

With Weiss not involved, the Slovakians claimed a famous 3-2 win as Vittek's brace and further effort from substitute Kamil Kopunek made late consolations from Antonio Di Natala and Fabio Quagliarella irrelevant.

Weiss returned for Slovakia's second round clash with the Netherlands as Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder goals in each half saw the Dutch take control of the game.

Vittek netted a late consolation from the penalty spot but Slovakia were unable to force extra-time as defeat to the eventual runners-up saw them exit the competition.